UKC

Exactly as it says on the tin. Parking has gone up from £1 per day to £5.

Whilst not extortionate in the grand scheme of things( falling into line with prices at Portland Bill etc), it should be recognised that the price was set at a low level because of the situation there: climbers can quite legally and legitimately park in the estate(a mere 4 metres away).

This obviously would create friction with local residents, so the fee was set at a level that would not encourage climbers from parking in the estate and also had the side benefit of preventing locals from blocking the car park with broken down vehicles.
Over to you Neal H!

I predict a problematical Easter hols!

In reply to Rob Kennard:

Best of luck, my knee jerk is to park for free on one of the many roads around. Trouble is, it isn't particularly socially minded. I dare say car park takings and resident complaints might prompt a re alignment in time, but climber and walker reputation/relations may suffer.

In reply to Kevster:

I predict lots of online bitching and moaning followed by no change in where people actually park.

In reply to davidbeynon:

I actually park in the pay car park when I climb there. I do try to be aware of others. So it will cause some issue, but the car park only takes 10-15 cars so hardly going to grid lock the entire estate.
I also assume with the BMC AGM coming up, plenty of depth of discussion can happen over that weekend.

In reply to Rob Kennard:

I'm a local, feel free to park where you like, you have my permission

In reply to Rob Kennard:

Hi Rob,

If I remember correctly, Scott and Steve negotiated £0.50 per day here several years ago.

Then a substantial amount of the parking was reallocated to the new housing, i.e. removed from public use.

Then the price was doubled to £1 per day.

Now it's 10 times what was originally agreed.

Clearly any agreement with the powers that be is valueless.

Mick

In reply to Mick Ward:

I foresee an empty car park Mick, but then that's probably what the council want - if it's not used they can sell it to build more flats on.

In reply to johnl:

Hi John

Well we need more flats on Portland, err, don't we?

And more problem people relocated to Weston (to be nearer the crags, you understand).

Perhaps we could do with the intervention of one elder statesman, a self-professed authority on climbing matters, who once confided to Neal, "I've always wondered about you chaps... do you start at the top and go down... or do you start at the bottom and go up?"

How Neal (the eternal diplomat) kept a straight face is beyond me.

Mick

P.S. Will be in touch re scandal elsewhere.

In reply to Mick Ward:


Not a bad question with the never ending debate on abseil inspection, cleaning and fixed gear ground up, on sight, top roping.....

In reply to Rob Kennard:

I for one will be parking just down the road and walking in. £1 a day is reasonable, I would even push to £2 but £5! Not a chance

In reply to johnl:


I'm a local too, just not to Portland

In reply to Rick Graham:


Can't say I've done any of that. Phew! Reaches for the smelling salts and, entirely by mistake, you understand, grabs a rope that's conveniently to hand. A wonderful thing, coincidence...

Mick (who learned his trade in Yorkshire, in the '70s)

In reply to Mick Ward:


Oh come on, you can't dangle that in front of us without a follow up!

In reply to Nic:

Already much discussed (though not by me) on these august forums!

Mick

In reply to Rob Kennard:

Hi Rob I have fired off an email to Lyn the Portland ranger to see what can be done but I expect this is going to be cross departmental ie ranger service is Dorset cc and parking is W&PBC would have been nice to get a heads up but as we are being so co-operative re climbing restrictions and signage. I cant see the odd climber parking respectfully (i.e. not over someones driveway) being a problem but when the mini buses choose to park elsewhere we will get complaints

On another point I hope to get bird signs up sometime soon, however I am currently recovering from surgery so not as mobile as I would like

cheers Neal

In reply to nealh:

Hi Neal,

Do you want help with the bird signs?

Adam

In reply to Adam Perrett:

Hello Adam
Thanks for the offer I am a bit out of action at present having just had a small op on my back. We don't know about Blacknor at present but we need signs putting in below cheyne cliff and wallsend central. I usually take a cordless drill down and secure them with 2" screws and rawlplugs

if you can do either of these can you drop me an email

many Thanks Neal

In reply to nealh:

I can do the Cheyne ones.

I don't go down Wallsend much (if ever) so if someone else on here can do those we are sorted.

message me your address and I will come and pick the signs up.